Virginia Madsen

Anyone who thinks that women have it great in American cinema should check out the case of Virginia Madsen, who was wonderful in “Sideways,” and nominated for an Academy Award, and who since then hasn’t done much. In another culture, producers would have seen “Sideways” and crafted films around her. Instead, she has worked in minor projects and on television — a decent living, I’m sure, but nothing that realizes a fraction of what she’s capable of.

And we only KNOW about Virginia Madsen because she really did get a chance — ONCE — and hit it out of the park. There are others, whose names you know, that you don’t take seriously, because they never got the chance. Or at least haven’t yet. They probably never will.